Every year, nearly 800,000 tourists wander through the alleys of Binibeca Vell, a tiny whitewashed village nicknamed “the Spanish Mykonos” for its resemblance to the famous Greek island which attracts huge crowds of visitors. For its 200 residents, “that is a lot” said Oscar Monge, who runs a local residents’ association and would like the village “to be calmer”. Binibeca Vell, on Menorca island, sits on a small bay with sparkling turquoise waters, and the picturesque village has become a major draw for visitors to Spain’s Mediterranean Balearic Isles.
A windfall for tour operators quick to promote the “fairytale” allure of this village, designed by Catalan architect Francisco Barba Corsini, the crowds are a source of irritation for locals forced to put up with the rude behaviour of some visitors. “Everyone wants to come here to have their picture taken,” said Monge, whose association represents homeowners in this private residential community that was established in 1972. “We don’t have anything against tourism, but sometimes it feels like we’re living in Disneyland Paris,” he sighed.
Behind him is a sign asking visitors to be “respectful” and “quiet”. “We have put these up everywhere because some tourists walk on the walls and climb up to the rooftops ..
.” or even open doors and go inside the homes “to see who is living there”, he said. Residents recently decided to limit access to their picturesque streets, with visitors only.
